Playing Around

George Whitesell & His All Stars

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George Whitesell & His All Stars
Classics, 5943 Delmonico Drive Monday, June 5, 7:30 p.m. $7, available at 260-7157 or at the door.
With his trademark long, white hair and beard, George Whitesell looks like a blues Santa. But he sounds like a blues legend and is in these parts. For decades, Whitesell's been singing and playing guitar and alto sax in the Pikes Peak region, most recently with Metro Blues. Now he's assembled what could be described as the blues board of directors in this area: George Whitesell & His All Stars.

The term "all star" is thrown around loosely, but if it's possible for there to be a blues supergroup in Colorado Springs, this is it. The rsums of the seven band members include experience with local and legendary acts, including Cab Calloway, Frank Zappa and Heart. Considering there's four sax players alto through baritone expect a sound bright with horns above Whitesell's solid guitar playing and John Stilwagen's keys, with Santi Guarnera (bass) and Dave Deason (drums) bringing it up on the bottom.

But only the band and those close to the band can truly describe the sound, because the All Stars are making their debut at Classics on Monday. Chances are, they will live up to the name.